Rescue on Fractalus

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Rescue on Fractalus
Studio Lucasfilm Games
Publisher Atari
Epyx
Activision
Erstveröffent-
lichung		 1984 ( Atari 5200 )
1985 (home computer)
platform Atari home computer , Commodore 64
genre Shoot 'em up
Game mode Single player
control joystick
system advantages
preconditions		 48 kB RAM
medium Diskette , cassette , cartridge
language English

Rescue on Fractalus is an action computer game released in 1984 by Lucasfilm Games (now LucasArts). It is seen as groundbreaking, especially in terms of graphics and the density of the game atmosphere.

Game action

The aim of the game and the player's mission is to rescue all pilots stranded on the planet Fractalus . For this purpose, the player controls a space glider over the planet's surface, whereby enemy defensive positions should be switched off by an on-board weapon in order to land near the stranded and pick them up. The aliens (the J'hagga Ri Kachatki; also called "Jaggies" after the beta version of the game called Behind Jaggi Lines ), who occasionally disguise themselves as pilots and hit the space glider pulpit, represent an important element of the game that requires the player's full attention and thus contributes to the exciting and unique game atmosphere in addition to the graphics that were celebrated as spectacular at the time.

Technical details

The entire game is represented by three-dimensional graphics. Contrary to the wireframe or polygon models used at the time, Rescue on Fractalus works with real-time generated fractal graphics . The term fractal graphic in this case means the use of geometric objects with non-integer dimensions and corresponding algorithms for their approximate representation. In very many cases, such fractal objects are characterized by a “frayed”, i.e. infinitely detailed edge, as is often found in landscapes. Because of this similarity, landscapes can also be modeled with fractals - and more realistically than was possible with textured polygons at the time.

The music used in the game is based heavily on the Flying Dutchman by Richard Wagner .

Web links